Page 22 of Bratva Wolf

“See ya there.” So, he’s not in Manhattan. I wonder how much he knows about last night. Guess I’ll find out. I get on I-ninety-five debating whether I should call Papa to let him know I’m meeting Marco. I pull into a parking space in front of the diner. It’s a busy greasy spoon, and perfect for a meeting with a cartel lieutenant. I step inside and grab a booth at the back, near the kitchen. My mother used to call little diners like this a greasy spoon. It’s not that they’re dirty, necessarily, but they wouldn’t win any Michelin stars. I know there’s a back door if I need it.

An older blonde saddles up to the booth. “Coffee, hun?”

“Yeah. Black.”

“Know what you want?” She’s popping gum as her pen tapsthe tablet in her hand. The uniform she wears shows a lot of cleavage and the embroidery on the front reads, ‘Billy Ray’s,’ in a cursive script.

“Not sure.”

“No worries, hun.” She saunters off behind the counter as the bell dings for the front door. Marco and one of his men stroll into the restaurant, scanning the patrons. Marco’s face lights up when he sees me. I guess that’s a good sign. His hand raises. “Mi hermano.”

Calling me ‘my brother’, again. I respond. “Marco. ¿Cómo estás?”

He plunks himself in the seat across from me. “I am well. Sad about the loss of my brother. I remember how much I loved him when we were young, but I can’t condone the things he does.”

Saying all the right things. “I’m sorry he did what he did.”

The server arrives at our table with a weathered notebook in her hand as Marco asks for coffee and a slice of blueberry pie with ice cream. Has he been here before? His man takes a seat at the far end of the counter. “We would have stopped Jose if we had known. Loyalty is everything.”

“I have to admit I was surprised he went after Cynric.”

The server returns with his coffee, setting it in front of him. He raises the cup to blow on the steaming liquid. “And Isabella.”

My heart rate picks up. “What about Isabella?”

“Si. Her father was the man who saved us all. She’s important. Jose should not have tried to hurt her.””

Shit. He’s right. Isabella’s father, Uncle Daniel, executed a man who had tried to kill us all at my ninth birthday. That man, Ivan Petrov, a friend of my father, tried again a few years later. “Isabella’s father was a hero. He was also my mother’s stepbrother, so he had a family connection as well.”

“Exactly. He took the bullet meant for me and your father. He bought our men time to get us to safety. Ivan’s men would haveexecuted us all.”

“I’m surprised you knew my father’s ward was living with Cynric.”

He waves his hand as the server set down his piece of pie. “Of course we keep our ears open. We attended his funeral. Your family is our family.” He takes the first bite and over-exaggerates his happiness over the taste. “This is good.”

“Has Arturo spoken to my father?”

“Eh. Uncle Arturo called him a few hours ago to apologize. He didn’t mention that you and I were meeting, though.”

“Oh?” This sounds like another stupid cartel game. “Why?”

“He wasn’t sure if your father’s anger had blown over.”

I lean back, sipping my coffee. “My father’s anger?”

He scrapes his fork across the plate. “You annoyed your father last night, no?”

“I annoy my father all the time. It’s the right of the second son.” I need to let Cynric and Papa know we’ve got someone talking to their cartel. That’s the only way Marco would know what’s going on with us.

“Ha. It is.” He raises his cup to get the server’s attention, and she walks over with the pot to refill our coffees. “Your family is important to my family. Uncle Arturo sent me to make sure no more nonsense happens with Jose’s men.”

“That’s good. Though I’m not sure there are many left.”

“Eh. That’s just as well. They should have known better than to go against your family.” He pauses and stares across the table. “Uncle Arturo wondered if you wanted to join him for a little vacation. You could bring your woman.”

I’m careful to school my reaction. “My woman? You’ve been keeping tabs on me, too.”

“Just a glance or two. She dances at your club.”

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